A View from Inside: Externships Offer AUWCL Students a Closer Look at Career Paths

For students looking to enhance their legal education through experiential learning, externships offer a unique opportunity. Whether placed at a federal government agency, administrative court, or non-profit organization students gain in-depth knowledge in specific areas of the law and work with leading attorneys in their field of interest. Those who participate in the Externship Program discover that in addition to performing substantive legal work, they can also use their on-the-job experiences to build their future.
 

A deeper understanding of the law

Yousef Bugaighis, a rising third year law student, is interested in pursuing a career in environmental law. As an extern at the Environmental Law Institute (ELI) in Washington, DC, he worked under a senior attorney on a research-intensive project relating to governance, natural resources, post-conflict power-sharing and peacebuilding. The project is part of a five-year global research initiative launched by ELI, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the University of Tokyo, and McGill University.

“The externship provided me with a deeper understanding of a broad range of current environmental and energy law issues,” says Bugaighis. “It was great to be able to learn from and  network with practitioners in the field.”

While reflecting on his experience, Bugaighis shares how much he enjoyed the excitement and energy during the publishing process for the environmental and legal publication he worked on during the externship. He describes how kind and supportive the attorneys and staff were —making every effort to ensure that his experience was as informative  as possible.

Apart from the interesting environmental topics that he learned about, his experience at ELI helped develop his legal research and writing skills.

Bugaighis says he now knows what area of environmental law he wants to pursue. “I hope to be involved in some capacity in the inevitable process of creating legal incentives for energy companies here and abroad to shift energy generation to more renewable sources.”

                                                                   

Shadowing some of the best litigators in the country

When it comes to taking advantage of opportunities, sometimes being at the right place at the right time is just as important as putting in the hard work. Just ask Melissa Garcia, a rising third year law student, who has gotten an up close view of oral arguments in several cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. 

Garcia, a 23-year-old from Miami, attended several oral arguments this spring as a result of her externship at the Solicitor General’s office in the Department of Research and Publications. Most recently, she was at the Court for the historic arguments on the constitutionality of gay marriage.

“I wasn’t inside the Court for that case but I was able to sit in the Solicitor General’s office, which is inside the Supreme Court Building, and hear the oral arguments live,” Garcia said. “It was very exciting. Because it happened so late in the semester, I was the only extern or intern in the room.”

During her externship, Melissa worked with several assistant solicitors general as they prepared briefs, which allowed her to gain an in depth view of the appellate process from the Government’s perspective. She had the privilege of sitting in moot sessions as the Solicitor General and staff prepared for arguments in several big cases, including the marriage equality case.

“Having the opportunity to see some of the best litigators in the country present arguments was extremely rewarding,” she said. “As a student, you often read an opinion and it seems really clear cut, but as I watched them prepare for cases, I got a whole new perspective.”

And with new perspective, comes new appreciation. Garcia has decided to pursue a career as an appellate attorney.  After her experience this semester, she knows the importance of making the most of opportunities that will make her career goals a reality.

For more information about the Externship Program at American University Washington College of Law, click here.

 

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